Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

From This Moment On

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Marianne Faithfull @ The Sage, Gateshead.

Marianne Faithfull (vcl); acc. by Kate St.John (keys, alt, cor anglais, acc. etc); Rory McFarlane (bs); Martin Bark? (dms); Don Pedigo (gtr); Wayne Kramer (gtr).
I wasn't sure what to expect - I knew there wouldn't be any jazz although, paradoxically, the background music in between sets was Creole Love Call and Prelude To A Kiss.
A lot of the material was from Marianne's latest CD - Horses and High Heels and she did indeed open with the title track.
She's entertaining and the half filled Level One, Hall One, loved her as, with complete disregard to today's PC culture she bonded with them by having a cigarette on stage!
The band were, not surprisingly, honed in Stones/'60s blasts with Ms Faithfull doing things to Johnn Lennon's Working Class Man, Dusty Springfield's Goin' Back, Back in my Baby's Arms Again. The voice may have sunk deeper and the range somewhat narrow but, nevertheless, Marianne seems to be in her comfort zone with the material. It was an impressive performance.
Earlier, support act, Gabby Young (pictured with ?) displayed no range limitations - her comfort zone is of operatic proportions! Billed as Gabby Young and Other Animals it was somewhat disturbing that she brought only 1 other animal - a guitarist (pictured left) whose name I missed. Presumably the other animals were in quarantine. This was a shame as I was looking forward to hearing the eight piece which includes trumpet, trombone and clarinet. Nevertheless Gabby gave a polished performance of original material and I look forward to hearing her again with the full band.
Lance.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

I was wondering if Johnn Lennon's 'Working Class Man' was the polite version of John Lennon's 'Working Class Hero'?

JC

Lance said...

My apologies - it was at the end of the night
'Hero' is right,
And it wasn't polite
I'll end the rhyme now...

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